Die Hard, Old Habits
by WhiteFang72
Summary: Oneshot. Mori reflects. Hunny has a surprise for him.


Die Hard, Old Habits

By: WhiteFang72

Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

Hello, everyone! This is my first story for OHSHC, and I wanted to write something from Mori's point of view since there aren't too many stories for him. This is also a break from my ongoing fanfic, A Mugiwara Goes to Hogwarts, because my writer's block was acting up… Hopefully I can keep Mori in character.

…

_There was a time when he really needed me._ Mori thought as he gazed out the windows of the third music room of prestigious Ouran High. The mid-spring wind, filled with the scent of violets and fresh leaves, drifted through the open casement. It ruffled Mori's dark hair and he sighed, closing the window against the manicured lawns, flower bushes and clear fountains of the school's grounds. His gray eyes, storm cloud gray, the girls of Ouran High seemed to think, closed in remembrance.

"Takashi, Takashi!"

Mori slowly peeled open his eyes, blinked once, and almost smiled.

"Takashi, oi Takashi. What are you thinking about?"

Mitsukuni's voice was curious. His large, brown eyes bright. In one hand he clutched his Bun-Bun, but the other was behind the boy's back, hiding something, maybe? Mori could see some object sticking out from behind Mitsukuni's pressed, light blue uniform.

"Nothing."

Mitsukuni just smiled, "You're thinking about something. I can tell. Do you need more time to think it over?" The blond boy bounced back on his heels. "I'll have some cake while you stay here."

"…Yes."

Mitsukuni showed him another wide smile and then shuffled backwards toward the couch just as the other members of their club made their entrances. Mori's eyes narrowed as he again took notice of the _something_ Mitsukuni was trying to keep from his view. Before he could say more than one syllable, however, Tamaki was shouting.

"Hunny! Mori! It's time to start the Host Club. Chop, chop! Now, we've got these wonderful costumes that will really bring out our manliness. They're not authentic, unfortunately, because Mom decided that it'd be too expensive to get real costumes. Instead, we had to buy them from-"

Tamaki was soon interrupted as Hikaru and Kaoru started a poking war with him. Both Kyoya and Haruhi, of course, ignored the childishness and went to put on their costumes. After that, everything seemed to proceed as normal. The hosts hosted, Tamaki made several girls faint, and the mid-spring sunshine illuminated the elegant room. Mori began to relax. He didn't contribute anything to the conversation in the wide room. But that was as usual. If he had the others would instantly suspect him of being sick, sad…or possessed. He watched Mitsukuni talk for a while. The blond boy spoke of trips to different countries, his favorite chocolates and Haninozuka style Martial Arts. Mori knew that martial arts weren't his cousin's favorite topic, but Mitsukuni liked to show off sometimes.

Mori saw his cousin start to get up, "Takashi, lets show everyone our new technique!"

Mori nodded. He placed his feet in a fighting position, waited a second, and then dodged just as two shuriken sliced an inch from his right side. A second later he was aiming a roundhouse kick at his cousin, who was no longer there. Mori's acute senses picked up a breath of air at his left side and he threw his elbow out in the direction. He laid a glancing blow on Mitsukuni's shoulder. However, the blond boy was off balance for all of a second. He disappeared again. Then Mori saw his cousin. The boy was flipping, end over end in the air above him, one leg aimed to kick Mori into the next wall. Mori tensed, his mouth turned down in concentration. Mitsukuni had been setting up for the new move, giving the customers a flashy show of skill. His next attack would decide the winner.

It came fast, almost faster than Mori could handle. One second in time he was tensed, standing, legs splayed, on the floor, and the next he was skidding across the room. He'd been kicked from both sides at once and, if he hadn't been training, he would have broken several ribs. Mori decided that the girls had been given enough of a show. He got his feet under him and slid to a stop an inch from the wall.

Applause from all sides of the room met the two combatants, and they both bowed. Mitsukuni was smiling his largest, sweetest smile. When no one was looking, though, he turned toward Mori, anxiousness crumpling his face.

"I didn't hurt you did I Takashi? I think I might've gotten carried away and I didn't mean to be so rough. You're okay right? Do you need to hold Bun-Bun to make you feel better?"

Mori frowned. _Absurd question. If I weren't okay I'd tell him so. I wasn't even…Oh._ He suddenly stopped.

Mitsukuni continued, his tone quiet. "You're bruised."

"Ah." _So I am._

"It's nothing." He reassured.

Mitsukuni just smiled, reached into the pocket of his blue jacket, and produced a band-aid. "It'll make your hurt better." He waved it in front of Mori's eyes.

Mori took it. "Alright."

They both returned to their customers. Mori averted his eyes from his cousin and frowned. _Why am I here?_ His fingers traced the pattern of the soft couch he sat on. He gazed at his cousin, face betraying nothing. _Does he still need me? _He cocked his head as his cousin bopped his head up and down energetically to a customer's question. The blond boy wasn't winded from the fight. His clothes were only a bit rumpled. Mori softly sighed. _Even if he doesn't need me_ _will I be able to stop trying to keep him safe?_ When Mitsukuni began telling the customers of his recent trip to Germany, Mori stared down at the yellow china cup in his hand.

He found he liked the way the rays of the sun gleamed on the polished surface of the china. _The sun makes it look golden, like honey._ Mori gently set the cup down and set his thoughts to an earlier time.

…

"Takashi, look what I can do. I can swing over the top of the swing set!"

Mori frowned at the ten-year old before him as he hefted the boy's gym bag over his shoulder.

"Mitsukuni." He said.

Not many would have recognized the tone of reproof in his voice, but the blond boy managed. "Aww, Takashi! I won't get hurt I promise."

"Practice." He reminded.

Mitsukuni's chocolate eyes grew large and alarmingly watery. "Another minute Takashi, please? I can almost get over."

Mori shook his head and resolved to watch his cousin closely. He decided to glance around the rest of the park and gauge any suspicious activity. There were only small children rolling, and occasionally falling, down the small roller rink. The Ferris wheel was largely unoccupied. The pavilion was housing what looked to be a meeting of the higher minds, namely the Ootori family. One young boy was avidly watching his father expound on the virtue of the children's park. Or, of what revenue the children's park could produce if torn down and turned into a medical research lab. Mori didn't see one member of the Haninozuka family. _I'm grateful for that. _

Mori nodded, satisfied that there was no danger. Just as he was beginning to sit down, though, his ears were assailed with a metallic screeching noise. It was loud and sharp and-

_Mitsukuni! _

Mori's reflexes switched on, a bolt of lightening, and he sailed, panicking, toward his cousin. He reached him just in time to catch him in his arms and break the boy's fall on the red mulch. Mitsukuni was gripping Mori's arm with shaking, sweaty fingers. His eyes were shut so tightly that Mori wasn't sure that his blond friend would ever open them again. At the very edge of his vision Mori could see someone, a tall boy, sprinting from the scene. Mori felt like following, and pummeling, but…

"Mitsukuni?" He asked.

The blond boy opened his eyes, looked near tears, and stated. "I should've sensed him coming."

"No."

"Father won't be happy."

Mori bit his lip and almost smiled. "He doesn't need to know."

"Really!? You're the greatest Takashi, thank you! I'll give you lots of cake when we get back," he paused, "Takashi's the greatest protector I could ever ask for."

…

Mori was brought back to the present with a start. _Something is off, wrong._ He glanced around. Haruhi was serving tea and chatting with her customers, the twins were pulling their ridiculous act and Tamaki and Kyoya were doing what they normally did.

_Where's Mitsukuni?_

Mori spotted him near the sweets cabinet. The boy was standing on a chair and trying very hard to reach the top shelf. But the chair Mitsukuni was attempting to stand on was wobbly. Mori strode closer. As he walked he noticed one of his cousin's shoe's slip off the fabric. The blond boy threw out his hand to catch his balance. The chair tipped…

Mitsukuni cried out.

Mori threw out his arms and caught his cousin before he smashed into the hardwood flooring.

His blond cousin was silent for almost a minute, eyes tightly shut. Tears were leaking from the corner of each eye. Mori grew alarmed and motioned for Kyoya, who was standing a suitable distance from the scene, notebook in hand, to get the school nurse. Tamaki and Haruhi kneeled down beside Mori and began bombarding Mitsukuni with worried questions. Mori noticed the twins sitting back on their heels, eyes grave. A smattering of conversation poured over Mori.

"Hunny, are you alright!?"

"Oh my gosh! Hunny's hurt."

"Tell us something, you've got to look at us alright-"

"Oh, Hunny…"

Mitsukuni opened his eyes, zeroed in on Mori. "Oh, Takashi!" He wailed, "I broke it. I broke your present! I'm so sorry."

Mori stared. _Present?_

Mitsukuni noticed the bewildered look. He ashamedly lifted a small object, shining golden in the light of the waning sun from the windows. The little thing was cracked in half, a jagged line running through the middle, but the words upon it were still clear.

#1 Protector!

The little thing was a badge. It was handmade, and painted in gold with dark gray lettering. Mori paused, and then gently took the present from his cousin's shaking fingers. Mitsukuni's brown eyes sparkled with fear, a little hope.

Mori smiled, really smiled. "I love it."

…

Author's Note: Well, I don't know how this turned out, but I hope I did Mori and Hunny justice. This can be viewed as a friendship fic or slash. Whatever you guys want to see it as, really. Well, thank you so much for reading!


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